The following paper provides an overview of the primary themes that have shaped American educational historiography. It rests on the notion that when guided by an awareness of our past, we can better understand the windows of opportunity available to impact the present. This paper is by no means a definitive statement on U.S. educational historiography. The aim is simply to contribute to an on-going academic conversation, to better understand the manner in which knowledge in our field has spread, and further contemplate how our field might progress over time. [The document contains a bibliography.]